Sub-aerohaline coastal dwarf scrub on inland edges of salt-sprayed cliffs of the Mediterranean seaboards
Helichrysetalia italici Biondi et Géhu in Géhu et Biondi 1994
Helichrysetalia italici Biondi et Géhu in Géhu et Biondi 1994
cri08 | The communities of this order are found in a natural ecotone between the coastal vegetation under direct influence of sea-born salt spray and the coastal tomillar/phrygana and garrigue occupying coastal habitats, yet without marked influence of air-borne salt. This transitional position would suggest that this order might be classified either within the Rosmarinetea (at least in the Western and Central Mediterranean) or within the Crithmo-Staticetea. The original (Géhu & Biondi 1994) classification of this order within the Helichryso-Crucianelletea maritimae is not logical as the Helichryso-Crucianelletea maritimae was coined to capture vegetation of stabilized grey hind dunes (see Bon & Géhu 1973), hence soft sedimentary substrates, whereas the Helichrysetalia italici comprise communities of hard-rock, coastal cliff habitats. The intricacy of this situation comes to light in a paper by Biondi (2007) who classified a part of the Helichrysetalia italici within the Rosmarinetea or the Helichryso-Crucianelletea while the other part (Senecionetalia cinereae, with the type alliance Anthyllidion barbae-jovis) was classified in the Crithmo-Staticetea. (L. Mucina).